Winnipeg Jets put Nate Schmidt on waivers for a buy out

Be sure to check Betway to check out the latest Jets game day odds and bet on the NHL! The Winnipeg Jets have placed defenseman and captain of smiles Nate Schmidt on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying out his contract, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.

The 32-year-old defenseman was entering the final year of his six-year contract with a $5.9 million cap hit. He originally signed the contract with the Vegas Golden Knights after their 2018 Stanley Cup run. The buyout will leave the Jets with a $2.7 million cap hit this upcoming season and a $1.6 million cap hit in 2025-26.

The Jets will have $5.4 million in dead cap space with the buyouts of Schmidt and the Jets’ former captain Blake Wheeler. They will have $11.9 million in cap space going into free agency.

Schmidt started last season in the Jets’ top six but was eventually pushed out of the lineup towards the end of the season. He never really lived up to his $5.9 million contract when it came to offense. This past season, he only scored two goals and 14 points in 63 games.

During his time with the Jets, Schmidt played 211 games, scored 13 goals, and amassed 43 points. This was his worst year offensively.

Schmidt was an undrafted free agent signing by the Washington Capitals out of the University of Minnesota. The Capitals signed him to an entry-level deal in 2013. Schmidt spent the next four seasons with the Caps before he was claimed by the Golden Knights in the expansion draft. He spent three years in Vegas before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in the 2020 offseason as a cap dump. After one season with Vancouver, he was traded again to Winnipeg, where he has spent the past three seasons.